


the storms we chase

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: Starting Over [9]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Post-Canon, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:28:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26058721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: It's the best dream, the bestsleepshe's had in decades.  Tears fill her eyes at the thought that none of it is real, that she'll wake up to a world where her soulmate is still dead and only visits her dreams in rare and extreme circumstances."I am still very much alive, love."Those seven words, in the sleep-husky rumble of her beloved soulmate's accented voice cause the tears to slip down her cheeks.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Series: Starting Over [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/974373
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	the storms we chase

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justanoutlaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/gifts).



> Date Written: 15-22 August 2020  
> Word Count: 3923  
> Recipient: justanoutlaw  
> Prompt: [OQ’s first time reuniting in Starting Over](https://twitter.com/justanoutlawfic/status/1294665178315972609) & Kylie Minogue's [Say Something (Acoustic) video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIF4ZauIN7w)  
> Summary: It's the best dream, the best _sleep_ she's had in decades. Tears fill her eyes at the thought that none of it is real, that she'll wake up to a world where her soulmate is still dead and only visits her dreams in rare and extreme circumstances.
> 
> "I am still very much alive, love."
> 
> Those seven words, in the sleep-husky rumble of her beloved soulmate's accented voice cause the tears to slip down her cheeks.  
> Spoilers: Post-series canon fix-it fic where most of canon is still true, but I'm playing a little fast and loose with a few things here and there. This particular fic picks up immediately after the events of "The Great Queen's Quest."  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Series: Starting Over  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: This was written as a gift for Taylor's graduation day. It got angstier than I wanted it to be, but this is one of my Regina muses, so that should probably be expected by now. LOL! She kept getting angsty on me when I really just needed her and Robin to get their swerve on. Thankfully I was able to get them back on track each time relatively easily. There's a wee bit of a tidbit that I threw in extra for Taylor, based on some past discussions we've had, because I could NOT help myself when it came up. And yes, I fully expect I'll be asked to write at least one fic about it. LOL! The title and opening quote are from Kylie Minogue's "Say Something", particularly the acoustic version, as it perfectly fits this version of OutlawQueen. Like it's literally become their theme song now. I love these idiots so much, angst and all. The fact that I listened to it 95 times today while finishing the last half of this fic should say something about it being their theme song. LOL!
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as always…
> 
> Beta: While it wasn't exactly betaed, Taylor did look at about half of it in various sneak peeks. So if you see anything I've missed, please let me know?

_"So we’re going with our heart  
Yeah it’s all the rage  
Oh we’re just  
Just trying to find ourselves  
In the storms we chase"  
\-- "Say Something" [Kylie Minogue, Biff Stannard, Jon Green, and Ash Howes]  
_

Sleep is the great healer. Better than any magic she's ever used or been subjected to. When consciousness slowly returns, Regina is reluctant to wake up, preferring to stay in the warm bubble of her dream with Robin holding her close as she sleeps. It's the best dream, the best _sleep_ she's had in decades. Tears fill her eyes at the thought that none of it is real, that she'll wake up to a world where her soulmate is still dead and only visits her dreams in rare and extreme circumstances.

"I am still very much alive, love."

Those seven words, in the sleep-husky rumble of her beloved soulmate's accented voice cause the tears to slip down her cheeks. She sucks in a ragged breath and turns to curl into his chest, nuzzling at his throat to let the comforting scent of loamy pine that she's always associated with Robin surround her like his arms currently do. The sensation of his lips pressing to her hair repeatedly as he murmurs in a soothing cadence reaches right into her soul to restore her equilibrium.

"Thank you," she finally whispers, pressing a kiss to his neck before leaning back to meet his gaze. "I was so afraid…"

"I know," he replies. "You were talking in your sleep."

She feels her cheeks heat up at his words. "Oh… Sorry about that."

"No, love, don't apologize. You did it last night, too, and I didn't mind it any more then than I do now. This has been a huge change for you, for both of us." As he speaks, one arm holds her close while his free hand gently combs through her hair and traces her face. She can't help but lean into his touch, eyes fluttering shut again at the sensation. "You and I are going to have the rest of our lives together to deal with all of the repercussions of what happened all those years ago. All I care about right now is that you're all right."

"I will be," she says, feeling the veracity of her words down into her very bones. "I just still can't believe you're really here, Robin." She shifts up a bit to press the gentlest kiss to his lips. "I've spent countless nights dreaming of waking up in your arms, getting you back in my life again, and always being disappointed upon rising to find myself still alone, still the emotional equivalent of a widow."

Robin's brow furrows deeply as he frowns. "You were no equivalent of any kind, milady. We may not have spoken the words before an ordained person, but in the eyes of the gods, I felt we were fully committed to each other and our children. Hera told me of the details of my funeral, how the arrows were laid out on my coffin, that yours was the final one placed there, even after Roland's. Regina, do you not understand the significance of that? Even my men saw you as my wife and accorded you that greatest honor of laying the final arrow."

"But…" Regina can't finish the thought that has haunted her all these years, doesn't want to cause trouble between Robin and his men.

"But what?"

She shakes her head. "It's nothing, Robin. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here and we get another chance at the life we should have had together." A quick glance confirms the frown deepening on Robin's face, and she hates herself for even bringing it up in an aborted form. "It's nothing that we need to resolve right now, Robin, but I promise you we'll talk about it soon, all right?"

For a moment, she thinks he'll try to argue the point, like he used to, but he just takes a deep breath and lets it out with a soft smile before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. She relaxes into his touch, finding the equilibrium and solace that she's been missing all these years.

He's being gentle, practically handling her with kid gloves, and won't deepen the kiss. She knows it's his damned moral code keeping him from overstepping her comfort levels. A part of her is grateful for his gentle chivalry and concern for her wellbeing, just as he always has been since the day they met. But another part of her craves the thought of him taking control, of being rolled onto her back, pinned to the mattress and taken and made _his_ in deed as she already is in thought and feeling.

A petulant whine escapes her when he shifts to rest his forehead against hers, noses nuzzling in that endearing way he always used in the past to make her feel like she was the center of his universe, his unspoken _I love you_ when they both knew she wasn't ready to hear or say the actual words yet. She loves him, loves this side of him …just not right now. She needs something more, something tangible, something that will ground her in the here and now with this man that has owned her soul for so long, she sometimes wonders if it ever was hers to begin with.

Robin's knowing chuckle brings her mind back to the situation at hand, and his warm breath fans across her face as he speaks. "You sound frustrated, love." The amusement in his voice is infuriating and arousing in equal measures, the smug bastard. "Whatever shall we do about that?"

"You know what we should do about that, Robin William Locksley, and this coy act is proof that you do and just want to torture me after all these years." She absolutely loathes how sulky she sounds, but it's all his fault for teasing her.

"Regina…"

She huffs out a breath and shakes her head, eyes closing at her own irrational behavior before shifting to get out of bed to start pacing. Her guilt rises when Robin doesn't fight to keep her in bed with him. "I'm sorry," she finally whispers, not even sure if he hears her or not. She's had him back in her life barely two days and she's already making things difficult for the two of them. "I'll never learn…"

The sudden sensation of his arms wrapping around her from behind, pulling her back into the solid warmth of his chest, loosens a sob from her. She hates that she's become so weak and emotional again. There hasn't been a minute of respite from the moment Quinn told her about that damned quest that Hera put them on, not even when she was reunited with her soulmate. It's become too much too often and she cannot stand too much more of this before she suffers irreversibly.

He doesn't say anything, just stands there, holding her close as she sobs and clings to the arms wrapped around her waist. His lips press gently to her hair and her shoulder, offering the solace she needs, but still can't ask for, and she is more grateful to have him back in her life than she ever thought she'd feel. The way he just _knows_ what she needs, even if she doesn't, is comforting in ways that elude her. It's not until she feels a wet heat soaking into the thin material of her tank top that she realizes just how much this whole situation may have affected Robin, as well, and it exacerbates her own guilt to levels that make her sick to her stomach. 

"I'm sorry," she whispers again. "Please don't cry, Robin."

He lets out a sound that she's not sure is a laugh or a sob, her gut twisting in guilt again at the thought of upsetting him. "How can I not, love, when you're so upset? Don't you realize I can feel how much you're hurting right now? How conflicted you are and have been since the second you laid eyes on me in the Winter Garden?"

She feels the blood drain from her face at his words, turns on unsteady legs to face him. "You what? Robin, I don't understand."

"Yes, you do. You've been a wreck since Hera's quest began, and I hate that it was because of me that you are." He lifts a hand to cup her cheek and wipe at her tears. "You're so good at putting on a brave face to everyone around you while bleeding out on the inside. You even did it when we were together before…" He pauses to lick his lips, and she tenses out of habit at what she expects him to say. "Before we were separated for so long. But it's gotten worse over the years. No, you didn't turn evil again, but you closed yourself off in certain ways, and that hurt you in some of the same ways. I'm here now, love, and it's time to heal those wounds. It may take the rest of our lives, but I'm up for the challenge if you are."

Regina stares at him for a long minute, letting the reality of his words wash over her, permeate her skin and settle into the very marrow of her bones. The next thing she knows, she surges up on her toes to kiss him. It's a desperate thing, all lips and teeth and need and possession. And, instead of being the chivalrous gentleman he was just a bit ago, Robin returns the kiss with equal fervor, pulling her close as if to meld their bodies into one. Her last coherent thought before succumbing to the sensations and the need is how much this reminds her of that first kiss that she'd initiated between them just outside the Merry Men's camp all those years ago.

Robin is the first to break the kiss, staring at her with an intensity that lights her senses on fire, nerves overloading with stimuli as she trembles in his one-armed grip. "Tell me this isn't what you want," he rasps, the sound sending a jolt of desire to explode hotly in her womb, "and I'll stop right this second."

"If you stop now, I'll kill you myself," she growls, only dimly startled by the intensity in her tone. "Hera can exact Her vengeance for it if She chooses, I don't care."

Instead of responding, Robin leans back in to claim her lips, scooping her up in his arms to take her back to the bed. Without thought, her arms go around his neck for balance, one hand flicking to remove their clothes in a cloud of purple smoke before her fingers card through his hair. His annoyed grunt into their kiss curls up her lips, but she doesn't care. She's over wasting time in reuniting with her soulmate in this most intimate and carnal of ways.

"Bloody vixen," he mutters as he settles her on the mattress, and she can feel his heated gaze as his eyes travel the length of her body. Without realizing it, she curls in on herself, shielding her body from his view. "Hey," he says, voice softening instantly as his hand reaches out to hover over her knee. "What just happened? Where did you go?"

"I'm…" How to put into words that she's older now, isn't the same woman she was nearly twenty-five years ago when he last saw her naked? She hates this insecurity that keeps taking over where he's concerned, but she can't stop it.

"You're beautiful to me, love, and always will be."

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Robin."

"I swear it on our children's and grandchildren's lives that I am telling you the truth. You, milady, are stunning in every way today, just as you were when I last saw you like this, just as you will be every time I see you like this."

Tears cloud her vision again at his words, at the veracity she can feel in her soul. "But…"

"No buts, love. There is nothing about you that I could find unattractive, inside or out." He rests his hand on her knee now, gently tugging. "Please let me show you just how much I love and want you, that I never once stopped in all of these intervening years that we've been apart?"

Swallowing thickly against the heart-shaped lump in her throat, Regina nods and lets out a slow breath, body relaxing enough to open to him again. The gentle, unfettered smile on his face eases the ache in her chest and she reaches for him. Robin crawls onto the bed, slipping between her legs as she spreads them, and leans in to press a sweet kiss to her lips that quickly heats up. It's not the intensity of their earlier kiss before her insecurities took over, but it's enough to make her fall for him all over again.

He shifts to rest his weight on one arm, the other hand moving to reverently stroke her hair and cup her cheek as the kiss deepens, tongues moving in tandem in an age old dance that she's dreamed about more often than she cares to admit. The salt of tears mingles on their tongues, and she can't be sure if it's her tears or his, nor does she actually care anymore. She glides her hands up his arms to trace the muscles of his back, settling into the familiarity of this communion with him on all levels. When his hand moves from her cheek down to cup her left breast, lightly callused thumb teasing her nipple, she blushes hotly at the needy whimper escaping her lips. He chuckles into the kiss and drags his nail across her nipple again, causing her to shudder and rake her own nails up the length of his back in retaliation. She doesn't bother to hide her smirk when he hisses in reaction.

"Bloody vixen," he says, pulling back to stare down at her with lust-darkened eyes.

She drags her nails down his back again and chuckles when he shudders. "You said that already."

"It bore repeating." He leans in to nip at her bottom lip, tugging lightly before releasing it, and she moans softly. "This is the look I remember and missed."

She tilts her head to the side. "What look?"

"In love and loved and open to possibilities."

"I'll always be open to you, Robin, even if I need a bit of coaxing from time to time." It's not easy to admit it, but she can't lie to him. One hand moves to stroke his cheek. "I love you, Robin."

"And I love you, Regina." He turns his head to press a gentle kiss to the center of her palm. "And now I'd very much like to show you just how much I love you, if you don't mind?"

Her heart explodes in her chest at the sweetness of that kiss to her palm, at just how perfect her soulmate truly is. "Far be it from me to deny you what we both have wanted for so long, my love."

He leans in to nuzzle his nose against hers, and she relaxes further, one leg shifting to curl up over his hip and ass. This pulls him closer to her, and she can feel the hot hardness of his cock against her lower belly for the first time. It ignites a need in her that she knows won't be quenched until they've both come at least once. And even then, it will only be slaked temporarily. He was always one of her greatest needs and weaknesses, but also one of her greatest strengths.

Another gentle kiss to her lips is followed by a trail of lightly sucking kisses down the column of her throat and across the expanse of her collar bones, his tongue taking excruciating exactness to trace the hollow at the base of her throat. She whimpers and squirms beneath him, grateful when he begins to massage her breast again, but wanting his attention far lower than that. As if he's read her mind, Robin chuckles against her skin and murmurs, "Patience, love."

_I was patient for twenty-five years._

Even as she thinks the words, she knows they're not true. Images of Facilier and Maleficent and even Eudora come to mind, and a small ball of shame starts to form in the pit of her stomach. He's been waiting patiently for her in the afterlife and she was moving on with other people. 

"Regina? Love, where are you right now?" His gentle voice brings her back from her thoughts, tears stinging in her eyes again. "Did I do something to--"

" _No!_ " It comes out sharper than she intends. "It's…" She lets out a soft sigh and shakes her head. "It's nothing that needs to be dealt with now, Robin. I'm sorry."

"You're sure? You tensed up and your breath hitched like you were in pain." He strokes her cheek gently. "If I hurt you…"

"You didn't, Robin, I promise you didn't. It was just a stupid stray thought that crept in that shouldn't have. Please don't let it ruin this moment for us."

"If you need to talk about it, Regina, we can."

She shakes her head. "Not now. Maybe later. We have the rest of our lives to talk about it. Right now, I need this reconnection with you."

He studies her for a long moment, and she returns his gaze openly, hoping he'll understand what she's trying to say. "All right, love," he finally says. "If you're sure?"

"I am. Thank you for checking in with me though."

"How could I not? You were clearly in some sort of emotional distress, no matter how minor it may have turned out to be, and you know I hate to see you hurting in any way."

"I know. It's one of the things I love about you." She tilts her head up to kiss him, one hand slipping between their bodies to wrap around his cock and pump lightly. The sensation is heady and reminds her what they were doing before her intrusive thoughts tried to completely derail them yet again. "This is something else I love about you."

He groans softly, hips moving to keep her hand on him, and his eyes close briefly. "It feels like I've been waiting an eternity to feel your hands on me like this again, love. " He shifts to nuzzle his nose against hers. "I saw you trying to move on, was happy to know you didn't completely close yourself off to happiness again, but I will admit to selfishly being happy that none of them truly stuck so that we could be reunited again."

The sob races up from the depths of her gut to burst past her lips, hand unconsciously gripping his cock a little too hard for a handful of seconds before she realizes it and relaxes her grip. "I-- You _saw_ that?"

Once again, he smiles that gentle smile that has always made her feel safe and loved and the center of his universe. "I told you that I saw much of your life, love, even if I couldn't be in contact with you. I found ways to leave little messages and hints for you, even if you didn’t consciously notice them. I was happy that you didn't close yourself off to happiness, Regina, truly."

His words remove a weight that she didn't realize was weighing down so fully on her soul. "I thought… A part of me felt like I was being unfaithful to you. Even with Mal."

"You never were." 

He kisses her again, slow and sweet, but it's enough to remind her of what they've been trying to do ever since they walked into Locksley Manor. As the kiss deepens again, her hand moves slowly, stroking the length of his cock. Her hips move sinuously, mimicking his as he thrusts into her fist, and the leg wrapped around his hip presses down to pull him closer. She knows what she wants, what she _needs_ from her soulmate, and when his hand glides down her body to slip between her thighs, she realizes that he does, too. 

"Oh gods," she whimpers against his lips as his fingers gather up her arousal before two ease into her to thrust in time with her hand stroking his cock. When his thumb unerringly finds her clit to rub those tight little circles that always drive her crazy, she lets out a soft cry and clenches her muscles around his fingers, making him chuckle.

"Methinks someone may be a bit eager," he murmurs, voice trembling the slightest bit from his own need.

"Please, Robin…"

He removes his fingers and adjusts his position slightly. When he stops moving, leaning in closer, Regina guides his cock into place and lets out a loud groan of pleasure as he slowly fills and stretches her. Once fully sheathed, he just stays there for a moment, staring into her eyes as they both get used to the sensation again, and she can see a myriad of emotions flitting past his eyes too quickly for her to truly name. But there are tears in his eyes, and she realizes in that instant that this is just as much a homecoming for him as it is for her, that his soul has been restored every bit as much as hers, and it emboldens her. She wraps her other leg around his hips, locking her ankles over his ass, and flexes her inner muscles around his cock.

"I'm right here, my love," she says softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "This isn't a dream. I am yours and you are mine. We can finally be as one again."

It's like her words unlock something in him and he starts to move again, hips working in long, slow thrusts to fill her repeatedly as he leans in to kiss her. Their bodies move in tandem, as if the last twenty-five years apart never happened, tears spilling down her cheeks that aren't only hers at the sublime joy they both clearly feel in this union of bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. The gods themselves couldn't tear her and her soulmate apart in this moment in time, and yet time loses all sense of meaning as their bodies continue to move together toward the orgasms that will likely prove to be overwhelming in all ways possible.

The cries that echo around them as they finally come, bodies trembling and shuddering together, are ecstatic and grateful and full of every ounce of love they feel for each other. The sensations wash over Regina in a feedback loop that triggers a second orgasm that's almost as strong, and she babbles her love for Robin repeatedly until she's not even sure what language she's speaking through the tears. Robin presses sloppy kisses to her face, neck, and chest, murmuring his undying love and devotion between them like a mantra or one of her spells. She can feel the tendrils of love magic winding around them and lets out a breathless laugh at the sheer perfection of this moment.

They have much to discuss still, but for now, she and her soulmate are reunited in all possible ways that matter. Their bond is stronger than ever before and she knows she will never be alone again.


End file.
